Author Archives: Rhonda J. Smith

A Gallery of Hope

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Yesterday we got a call from our mayor, Dave Bing, who thanked our son for hosting a refreshment stand to raise monies to help the cash-strapped Detroit. Below are the video of Bing’s call to me and Joshua and pictures from Joshua’s sale.

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While we appreciated the call, my husband, Flynn, summed up our beliefs about Joshua’s efforts: “It would be disingenuous of us to have people come by to make donations under one premise and then turn around and use the money for our own gain.”

Please, tell me what you think?

All photos by Kathleen Galligan of the Detroit Free Press.

Civic-Minded Son Fundraises for City of Detroit

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Joshua at the Detroit rally for Trayvon Martin


If you read my parenting columns or my blog regularly you likely know that my oldest son, Joshua, has a big heart. He seeks to be righteous and to make things righteous and with a heart of passion and compassion. As soon as he heard that our city, Detroit, was broke he took it upon himself to pray that the City would have the money it needed to operate. He decided he wanted to go beyond his prayers and have a refreshment sale with proceeds going to the City. Please support him in his efforts this week July 30-August 3, 2012. He will be selling refreshments outside our from 5-8 p.m. If you live in the Detroit area, contact me for more details. If you can’t make it during those hours or live outside of Detroit, I’m sure Joshua would appreciate a monetary donation to help make his effort a success. Following are his words that appear on the attached flyer:

My name is Joshua Smith. I’m 9 years old. I wanted to raise money for the City because we’re broke and I felt like I wanted to do that. It came on my mind. May you please help support the City of Detroit. Please buy this popcorn and drinks. It’s not so expensive. I didn’t make it expensive so you would have to spend all your money. The money will help clean up trash on the ground and cut the grass in the parks.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Parenting Partner & More

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Christen B. Johnson, more than my babysitter


I love this woman. My husband and boys do, too. We don’t know what we would do without her. Four years ago she started as my babysitter, but she is now a daughter, big sister, grace grower, an integral and intimate part of my family. She is the appendage I didn’t know was missing and sorely needed. I love this woman (Oh, I told you that!). I am so grateful for Christen B. Johnson, my glorious sweetheart! Read more in my latest EEW article, which begins below, about our relationship, how she has helped me beyond babysitting and how you, too, can be strengthened with parenting partnerships:

She came to me suddenly, unexpectedly with her bubbly way and smiling face. She had sat there in a center row, face focused front, but when I sat next to her she flashed me her 32s and my then 7 month old Nate clamored to be with her. We didn’t know her but she knew of me. She introduced herself and told me that she heard our women’s pastor mention me, knew that I was on maternity leave from ministry and had wondered who I was. Christen said she was single with no children and free to babysit my children anytime. I nodded and smiled. Even though I had just lost the help of another single woman with no kids who volunteered for six months to serve me and my family, mainly helping me with my newborn, it would take more than an introduction and a smile before I could trust this woman with my kids.

But after weeks of her offering and my desperation I invited this 24-year-old to have dinner with my family every Tuesday before our midweek services so we could get to know her. Immediately my boys liked her; my husband and I did, too, so I had her help me with the boys on Tuesdays and Sundays, the days my husband was fully engaged in ministry himself and I could supervise her interaction. Read the rest here.

My boys and Christen’s niece at the park with Christen


Nate at the library with Christen


Joshua playing ‘Ode to Joy’ on the pipes at the library with Christen


Justus at the library with Christen

My One Thousand Gifts List

#681-690
An invitation to contribute a cooking video to The Brand New Mommy Blog
Sharon rejoicing with me
Carla rejoicing with me
Flynn loading and running the dishwasher
Flynn calling Vince to produce my video
Vince being excited about producing my video
Children-initiated praise and worship
Nate blowing his trumpet in the corner toward the vase like he was making sure to praise God everywhere
A full night’s rest and early rising to have a rich time with God and a great start to prepare three meals
A clear outline for the parenting column

Friday Feature: Roundup Seventeen

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Here are some great links to help you cool down with fruit, incorporate seeds into your diet and discover new information about foods.

Blueberry Maple Coconut Dairy-Free Ice Cream {or Choose Your Favorite Fruit Flavor}

Blackberry Lime Cheesecake Popsicle

Edible Seeds at Raw-Foods-Diet-Center.com

Smart Shopping for Edible Seeds

Natural News where you can discover a host of food-related information you may have never known

Yield and Make a Difference

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

We have been called to make a difference, be the difference in others’ lives, but when they don’t want that difference there is nothing we can do. This I’m still learning, wondering if my children will reject my teachings, seeing how my mother resists my believing that change is still possible, even for the elderly. I seek to submit to God even when I want to yell out loud that I’m through, with people, procedures, processes, my process of learning, stretching, giving, yielding, groaning, yielding, growing, molding—shaped into something new, more usable, more beneficial, more sustainable, and more powerful.

I come to each day with only expectation that God will show up, even when I don’t, even when I don’t want to but need to. He will show up and do in me what He wants done in me in spite of me. There is a yielding that can be ever so beautiful if we try, let go of our hurts, our cries and just try. We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. We are the head and not the tail if we let God lead us. He must lead us; we are incapable of leading ourselves, at least down a righteous path, one far from the destruction that we’ve come to know on our own.

Lives need to be changed and they include ours. We can do this, must do this. We can do this. Seek His face. Follow His leading. Continue on His path. He makes all provisions.

Today, write me. Comment here and tell me what you think.